pull me back to reality
by Lookin' For Treble
Summary: like pieces of a puzzle without each other, we're in trouble, trouble/ In which Austin gets a second chance and Ally learns what it's like to love the boy with warm hands.
1. like pieces of a puzzle

**OMG guys I'm feeling so emo right now. But I started this like two years ago and I'd feel bad if I waited any longer since *sobs* the show's over ToT. AND I FREAKING NAMED IT AFTER BETTER TOGETHER WTF KATE.**

 **Literally I wasted like five years of my life on A &A and I want to say I can die happy because I love the ending, but I'm just so sad it ended like what do I do in free time with the TV anymore? What if Netflix is unavailable, and wifi is slow? **

**kidding #firstworldcountryprobs... no but seriously. I don't know what to do anymore. My vine is filled with all my A &A edits cause I don't know what to do with myself. I'm putting all these things on tumblr and suddenly getting notes because people agree (and I find a lot of behind the scenes finale pics lol)**

 **But seriously, I'm like in love with Alex and Ava ohmygod A &A is literally fanfiction turned into a show OMG it's canon. Sorry about this, haha, I'm just in love with Austin and his son in that scene I was not expecting that. Ohmygod. I screamed. And couldn't breathe. And then dowloaded both episodes. And went on 26 hours of air travel. I'm still recovering. This isn't healthy. The season 1 references omg. Now I keep watching the very first and very last episodes, and someone get me some help. I need help. My friends have lost hope.**

 **I need help.**

 ** _Okay, so if you're still sane, that means you skipped all of that :)._**

 _ **If you want to check out the edits or photos on either my Vine or tumblr, here they are: Vine: /SA (no spaces), Tumblr: shors-airplane**_

 **Anywaysss, on with the story.**

 _ **This is dedicated to the old lady who choked on that harmonica. Thank you. Because of you, millions of people worldwide watched four kids grow up in a wild ride of fame and love, and over million people skipped the Golden Globes and enjoyed watching that group go off into the world of success and start families. So thanks again, for being at the wrong place at the wrong time, and choking on that harmonica.**_

 **Aaaand this will be a two-shot, so watch out for part two!**

 **Disclaimer:** **there's no way I could write this without Disney, even though their show is canon, but I'm still s broke so... whyyyyyyyy am i doing this? iiiiiiiiiiii'm gonna go cry some more...**

Warning: a little confusing but it'll be cleared up in the second half :)

* * *

 **Pull Me Back To Reality**

Like pieces of a puzzle  
Without each other,  
We're in trouble, trouble

 _-_ Ross Lynch "Better Together"

"Here you go, Madame; have a nice night. Oh! And be safe... that storm doesn't seem to be letting out any time soon." Ally handed the sweet old woman her change and bag of CDs from 60's Greatest Hits.

"Thank you, Darling. You too," the woman began to hobble toward the exit, and the wind gusted even harder, pushing the door right back. Feeling sympathy for the woman, Ally stopped her.

"Wait!" She glanced around the small music shop, noting that this woman was her last customer. The woman stopped, turning to face the young girl.

"The rain is getting hard. I'm about to close up shop; if you want to wait a minute I can walk you out with an umbrella."

The older woman smiled. "Oh sure, if it's not a hassle, I'm taking the bus." She pulled the door completely shut, watching intently as Ally scurried to quickly close the store, locking the register and fixing items back to their original position, tossing shopping bags back into storage and hurriedly shutting the practice room before meeting the woman once again. She pushed the door open, popping open her umbrella, and locking the store behind her. The two small women headed for the bus stop, in which it's transparent covering provided somewhat of a protection. They boarded the same bus, and the woman- she had told Ally to call her Linda- paid for Ally's ticket.

Linda got off first, and upon much insisting on the younger girl's part, hesitantly took the umbrella. That same stop was where the blond boy boarded the bus, politely helping Linda off first, and taking the seat once occupied by her, right beside Ally.

He simply plopped down beside her, taking his phone out as he ran a hand through his dripping hair. Rain water from his blond tassels splattered her, and she glanced up from her iPod to look at him.

He was fairly handsome, with chiseled features, a defined jaw line, and deep brown eyes, which reflected the light from his phone. He looked up, feeling Ally's gaze on him.

"Sorry."

They both said it at the same time, and he chuckled while she looked down, blushing. Her eyes landed on the screen saver, showing a beautiful blond girl crouched beside a Husky puppy and a mini version of herself, long blond hair, adorable grey eyes, and chubby four-year-old cheeks.

"Aww." It slipped from her lips before she could stop it, and her cheeks reddened further. She worriedly averted her eyes back to the boy, rambling out, "oh, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to invade your privacy-"

"Hey it's fine," he interrupted. "It's cool, don't be so uptight." Looking back down to the picture, he smiled, tilting it so she could see better. "It's my sister and my niece with my dog."

A smile grew on Ally's delicate lips. "That's adorable."

"Yeah," he breathed, turning the screen back to himself. "My name's Austin by the way. Austin Moon." He held out a hand for her to shake.

"I'm Ally," she responded, shaking his hand.

"Beautiful name for a beautiful girl."

The brunette rolled her eyes. "And right when you think he's a sweet guy, he lets off the cheesy line." Meeting her eyes back with his, she added, "That only works for the name Belle."

He raised an eyebrow. "Oh? And why is that?"

"Because it actually means beautiful."

"Oh." Austin paused a moment. "You wouldn't happen to have a middle name which is-"

He was cut off from a giggle which erupted from the nineteen-year-old girl. "No," she continued on through more giggles. "And I'm not telling you my middle name."

"And why not?"

"Because... you still haven't told me yours."

"Monica. My middle name is Monica."

This made Ally choke on air as she laughed even harder.

"Yeah, yeah, my parents thought they were getting another girl, laugh it out. But now will you tell me your middle name?"

Ally thought a moment as the bus came to a screeching halt, the rain hitting the roof even louder. "Nah."

"But- but, but why?" He sputtered, pouting like a little kid.

"Because this is where I get off. Smithson Park?" She asked, standing and dragging up her belongings into her pockets.

"Oh yeah, I get off at SP too." Austin stood, immediately noticing his towering height compared to her as they came off. He smirked down at her as the bus pulled away. "Where to, shorty?"

She slapped his arm, flipping her dampening hair from her face. "I'm not short, I'm fun-sized!"

He looked at her weirdly.

"Okay, sorry. I'm going to stay the night at my dad's, since he left with my keys earlier. He lives across the park, but I'm taking a shortcut."

Austin nodded. "I have to get to my sister's- I'm babysitting my niece." He motioned toward her with his head, tucking his thumbs into his pockets. "See you around?"

Ally smiled. "Yeah. See 'ya."

The blond smiled back, sending her a wink as he turned and headed the other way into the rain.

Her smile faltered as she turned, letting out a huff before starting her shortcut.

* * *

"Leila!" Austin dropped his keys into the bowl by the front door.

"Uncle Aussin!" The tiny four-year-old emerged from the kitchen, racing up to him on her chubby baby legs, leaping up to him as he sweeped her up into his arms. He pecked her cheek, looking up at the presence of another person before them.

"Dakota? You're home early." Austin furrowed his brow, studying his sister's frown.

"And you're late," the other blond accused, glaring at her younger brother.

"Sorry. I missed the first bus and I got distracted by this girl-"

"Wait, wait. Girl?" Dakota raised an eyebrow, a knowing look to him. "Was she cute?"

Austin blushed, his pale cheeks reddening. Leila poked his rosy cheek, giggling at his embarrassment.

"So she was!" The twenty-four-year-old gasped, becoming giddy. "Oh, Aus, tell me about her!"

"Don't you have a banquet or something you and Jason are supposed to be at?" He pouted, shifting Leila to his other hip.

"It got rained out," she shot back. "Now stop changing the subject and spill about the girl!"

"What girl?"

Austin groaned as his brother-in-law came behind Dakota, quirking an eyebrow.

Austin couldn't sleep, for some odd reason. Maybe it was because of the rain, though he was usually a deep sleeper. Maybe it was the countless teasing he received from his sister and her family. Or maybe it was this Ally girl herself.

He found himself wondering about her... and worrying about her. There was the sudden crack of lightning and boom of thunder that caused a tiny hand to reach for his doorknob.

Light seeped through his door as a small figure entered his room, squeezing a stuffed lion.

"Aussin?"

He peeped open an eye, popping up on an elbow. "What's wrong, Little Lei?" His voice was deep and groggy with tiredness.

"I can't sweep," she whimpered, holding her lion tighter. "I'm scared."

Austin's face softened at her innocence."Come'ere, baby girl," he sighed, opening his arms as she shut the door and waddled to his bedside. He pulled her up under the covers with him, wrapping his arms around her tiny shivering body and letting her snuggle into his chest. "What did Mommy and Daddy say?"

Leila lifted her face from his shirt, pouting. "I towd Mommy, but she said to cwose my eyes and I'll fall asweep, but I can't. The rain is scary."

The older blond pulled the little girl closer, kissing the top of her head. "It's okay. You'll be okay. Just go to sleep."

She buried her head back into his shirt, mumbling a muffled, "Thanks, Aussin."

He rested his chin in her head. "No problem, baby girl." She snuggled deeper into his chest at the rumble of more thunder, and for once, all his attention was on this little girl.

"I wove you, Uncle Aussin."

"I love you too, baby girl."

The pitter patter of rain grew louder, her breathing becoming more stable. Austin gazed down at the little girl in his arms. She meant the world to him. But if this was his niece, how much would he love a daughter? He still certainly had more than enough time to find a girl to love; he was only twenty. Still, at that age his sister was pregnant with her husband's child, and she and Jason were still inseparable.

His mind drifted to Ally. Had she made it to her father's house safely? He was almost certain she had, but then why did it bother him so much? She was only crossing the park- the quickest shortcut to that development.

Then it hit him; the park didn't separate the two developments where they went separate ways- the other side of the park had a thick strip of woods between it and the next development. What if Ally was stuck there, out in the rain?

Without thinking, he unfurled himself from Leila, changing his pants and throwing on a sweatshirt. He took a step out his bedroom before he heard the soft whimpers of his niece, curling in a ball in the cold, large bed without him to protect her with his warmth.

He hesitated, sliding his hand down the side of the door a bit. Was he really going to leave his little niece all alone again to go after some girl? What if she wasn't even in danger? But what if she was, with no one to call for help? So many things could go wrong, but Austin was willing to take the risk if it could help the poor girl.

He silently crept down the stairs, grabbing his phone and a flashlight he made a quick detour to the small kennel, unlocking it. "Diesel, come boy." He motioned for the small Husky to follow, clipping on his leash, and slipping out into the storm.

"Ally!"

No response.

"Ally!"

Maybe she just couldn't hear him.

"Ally!"

Maybe she couldn't respond- couldn't use her voice.

"Ally!"

Or maybe she really was okay- huddled up by the fire at her father's house.

The chances of Ally being lost outside were slowly thinning away, disintegrating with the dryness of the air. Eventually, he gave up, calling Diesel back to him.

He whistled. "Diesel, come boy."

The Husky began trotting to his owner, but a peculiar scent stopped him dead in his tracks. Vanilla.

Pulling up short, he raised his nose and sniffed. There definitely was something out of place. Placing his nose to the ground, Diesel began his search. He snuffed around, following the sweet scent as Austin watched. Catching a stronger scent, he lifted his nose once again and took off.

Diesel stopped in a clearing by a thicket of brush, immediately spotting the pale, lifeless body. He carefully nudged it with his nose, but it didn't move.

"Diesel!" Austin caught up to his dog, heart almost stopping at the sight. The husky's paws were planted atop a small delicate figure, so pale and dead.

She was so small, curled into the tree trunk. She wasn't shivering, already numb. Austin crouched in front of her, hand flying to her wrist. There was a pulse, slow and frightening under her frozen white skin. She was just so small, brown eyes of innocence clouded and distant. Her face and body bruised and scarred, pale and cold, she didn't look anything like Ally, her dark hair plastered to her neck and shoulders. She definitely wasn't the Ally he'd met.

The girl Austin had come to know a few hours ago was so lively and spontaneous. She had a certain sparkle in her big brown orbs, moved and looked like a daughter of an angel. She was beautiful.

And laying in the canvas of leaves, pale and sleeping, she was just as beautiful, like Sleeping Beauty or Snow White. The droplets of water shone on her soft cheeks, enhancing her every perfection.

"Ally," he breathed, watching her pleading eyes.

 _Please._

Sliding his arms under her frail body, he attempted to lift her, stopping at the ear-splitting scream that erupted from her throat. He immediately placed her back down, holding up her upper body with one arm while the other curled around her head, his thumb stroking her cheeks staining with salty tears. He held her there, in the pouring rain, wishing he could take away all her pain; a girl he'd just met, and barley knew. But that didn't stop him from pulling her closer, whispering in her ear, and kissing her forehead, trying not to think of how similar she looked to one he once loved.

•

 _"Austin!" The petite girl giggled, wiggling out of his grasp._

 _"What?" he asked innocently, tilting his head toward her._

 _"You know I'm ticklish!" She hugged herself, trying to hide her growing_ _blush with her long black hair._

 _Austin stepped toward her again, lifting her head to meet her gaze in those crystal blue eyes of hers. "And you know how much I love that," he murmured, placing his forehead on hers._

 _But that was so long ago, it felt like three years without her had become a lifetime. He just wasn't so sure he was ready to move on._

 _•_

Only a few minutes passed until he decided to try again. If he could lift Ally up just right, he could carry her painlessly, but it was a risk since he didn't know what part of her was exactly injured. Gritting his teeth, he pulled her up, cringing at her tortured moan. He felt her shift, clutching a handful of his sweatshirt. Carefully, he lugged the small girl toward home, Diesel trotting by his side.

* * *

Leila panted, sweat beading her forehead as the ringing of thunder receded from her ears. She pulled the blankets closer to her, shaking and afraid. Where was Austin when she needed him? Squeezing her eyes shut, she slowly counted to ten, but never made it past eight. There was another rumble, but one of the front door opening. Slowly, she crawled out of bed, dragging her stuffed lion behind her.

To say she was struck with confusion at the sight of her uncle holding a small girl at the front door was all her toddler mind could manage. Cradling the girl to his chest, he mouthed to Leila, _get your dad._

She didn't have to be told twice, running off with eyes wide to retrieve her father.

Jason hurried to the family room, watching as his brother-in-law laid the girl over the couch.

Austin moved aside, letting the doctor take over. He watched the older man's dismayed expression at Ally's condition, checking her vitals. Dakota clattered in while he did so, eyes widening with bewilderment at the sight. She pulled her daughter off with Diesel, who had been camping at Ally's side. Jason cleaned her cuts and bandaged what he could, assessing the damage and saying he'd have to find the main detriment when she awoke.

Austin stayed behind, though, watching her. He carried her to the guest bedroom, laying her down under the covers. He pulled a chair from the hallway, sitting beside the bed, just watching the shallow rise and fall of her chest as he held her hand.

Another small, cold hand.

•

 _She grasped his hand tightly, a sad smile on her lips. Tears welled in her eyes, on the verge of spilling over. She swallowed, shifting in the hard hospital bed. It didn't help much with her back pain, or any pain for that matter._

 _She suddenly shut her eyes, a hand flying to her swollen stomach in agony. The pain slowly receded, and left her breathing hard and weaker._

 _He let her crush his hand, knowing it wasn't as painful as what she was going through. He knew what they had done was a mistake, but what she was holding wasn't, at least not to them. And he knew it was his fault, but they couldn't stand the thought of letting it go. He'd grown to love the little thing inside her belly, knowing it was his own. Still, they were young and immature, and her body was immature. It wasn't ready for a baby._

 _She was in pain, a deep trench of it. She was only eight and a half months along, but they might not have had a choice. He noticed the light slipping from her fading blue eyes, and the slowing of the heart monitor. But she had begged him not to call the doctor just yet, when they could still have a few precious moments together._

 _And so, all too soon, she was taking her last breaths._

 _"No, baby, no don't leave me," he cried, eyes pleading, begging her to stay._

 _But all she said was, "I love you, Austin."_

 _"I love you too," he replied, holding back a sob._

 _"Promise you'll take care of her for me."_

 _He nodded._

 _She gave him one last smile, and just like that, she was gone, off to Heaven. But this wasn't a promise he could keep, out of the few he'd ever made. Because she took their baby with her._

A tear escaped Austin's eye. For so long he'd felt like he lost. Lost his world. Lost emotions. He felt numb. No one blamed him though, he'd lost his girlfriend and his baby. And after three years, he thought he was going to be okay, that something like that couldn't stop his life too. But it would certainly scar it.

Leila was only one at the time- he was eighteen. Seeing his niece was painful, but she somehow seemed fill the missing space that had been made for his little girl. But the space for his girlfriend was still too large for an infant to fill, and he had to remind himself that Ally was not her, that this was not some cruel trick of deja vu.

But she looked so much like the girl that had stolen his heart, and taken it to Heaven with her. If only Ally had darker hair, and crystalline blue eyes, he would swear they were twins.

But Ally had chocolate brown locks, and matching deep brown doe eyes. If only her hair wasn't wet and appeared black, and her eyes weren't closed...

Another tear escaped, and another, and another. Tears flowed down his cheeks to the soft bedding he was leaning toward. He was no longer numb, and the pain rushed in and crashed on him like a bulldozer.

Ally.

The want to put her name to his old girlfriend struck him senseless. It was as though she had died, all over again. She was so pale, but in the bed, she looked more at rest than dead, as opposed to a few hours before.

Another small hand clasped his, warm this time. It wasn't the first time Leila saw Austin like this; she had grown to know not to question him. She simply pulled his hands from Ally's, climbing onto his lap and hugged him. She wrapped as much of his torso as she could reach in the biggest bear hug her little arms could muster. He wrapped his arms around her too, pulling the little girl as close to him as he could.

And the three stayed in that room, two curled in a chair beside the bed, where the other lay unconscious, none of them moving through the rest of the storm.

* * *

Light. Ally could see, no sense the light. It was bright, and comforting. It was inviting, but she didn't move; she couldn't move. She wanted it though, she wanted the sun.

It felt warm, and it seeped through the curtains, passed the headboard, and landed on the cream comforter draped over her body. The room was quiet, painted a light gold and white. The black ceiling fan was off, but she still felt cold. To her right- a wall with a simple black mirror and a door. In front of her- a wall with two doors opposite each other and a narrow brown table drawer between them. Behind her- a large window shielded by thin white curtains with gold embroidery. To her left- a chair occupied by two blondes.

Austin sat, slumped in his seat with a small blonde girl cocooned in his arms. She slowly stirred, cracking her small eyes open after rubbing them with her adorable little fists. Those pretty gray eyes- Ally recognized those. This was Austin's niece.

"Hi," the girl said, her sweet little voice cracking a bit. "I'm Leila. Are you Ally?"

Ally only nodded, keeping a skeptical expression. Leila, however, broke into a grin and wiggled out of Austin's grasp, plopping down aside her in the bed.

"Uncle Aussin towd us 'bout you. You're the really pretty giwl on the bus."

"Really?" Ally asked, her voice hoarse.

Leila nodded vigorously. "Mhmm!"

Ally smiled at the toddler. She could see the resemblance of Austin in her.

"Does anyone else live here?" She asked, recalling that this was probably Austin's sister's house.

"Yup. Mommy and Daddy. But they'we sweeping." Leila motioned to one of the doors, almost falling off the edge of the bed.

Instead, two arms caught her, keeping her upright.

"Careful there, baby girl," Austin croaked, pulling her back into his lap. He looked up to Ally, noticing that the color had come back to her, cheeks now a rosy pink. "Morning."

"Morning," she responded, taking in his messy hair and rumpled clothes. She opened her mouth to speak, but hesitated. "whe- how did you find me?"

Austin shrugged. "I just had this feeling... a hunch I guess."

Ally nodded thoughtfully. "Thanks, then."

Austin nodded too. They sat in silence for a moment, wondering what to say.

"How are you feeling?" He leaned toward a bit, as if he knew she would answer quietly.

"Okay, I guess," she said half-heartedly, eyes shifting back to Leila. She couldn't meet Austin's concerned gaze. Seeing this, Austin turned to his niece, shifting her in his lap.

"Hey, Lei, can you go to Mommy and Daddy's room for a minute?"

She smiled at him, as if this were the biggest feat she would ever accomplish. She kissed his cheek, and surprised Ally with a gentle hug of goodbye before swinging through one of the doors.

Austin turned back to Ally, locking his gaze with hers. "Now really, how are you?"

Trying to lie, she answered all too quickly, "Good."

He sent her a look of disbelief, making her shift uncomfortably.

"Look," she sighed, "I'm fine. Just a few scrapes and bruises; I'll be just fine." She pushed back on the bed, attempting to lift herself up. Instead, a wave of pain surged through her back, making her whole upper body collapse forward. She squeezed her eyes tight, ready to black out again.

But she didn't. Austin sighed, almost knowingly, and reached out, gently pushing her back to a laying position.

"Ally. I was there when you were treated. I saw how many injuries you have- they're not good. Don't lie to me, because I know what's wrong with you. I don't know where last night, or how, or when, but I do know one thing that happened."

Her head giving in to the pillow, she sighed. "What?"

* * *

"Knock, knock"

Turning her body, Ally studied the girl in the door frame. Her perfectly figured body leaned in the doorway, smiling gently behind her long dark lashes and falling dirty blonde hair. "Hi, Ally. I'm Dakota, Austin's sister."

Ally smiled back, a humorous chuckle escaping her lips. "Hi." She watched as the taller girl's smile broadened, waking over to the edge of the couch to sit by her feet. "So," Ally began, "Austin and Dakota, huh?"

Dakota rolled her eyes, nodding. "Yeah. My parents were quite the travelers. They begged me to name my daughter Paris, but I wouldn't. Jason and I named her-"

"Leila," Ally finished for her. "Yes, I've met her. She's adorable."

Dakota's smile broadened. "Thank-you. But enough about me, I want to know about you. I know you don't want to talk about how you're doing; let's just talk about you. Y'know, where you're from, how old you are, what you like- stuff like that."

Ally let out a short breath, glad that someone understands. "Um, I don't know- there's nothing really outstanding about Ally Dawson." Dakota gave her an encouraging smile. "Lets see- I'm a bit of a dork- kids at my old high school called me Dorkson. My dad owns a music shop- oh! And I love music. I play it, listen to it, write it; it made me a bit of an insomniac when I had writers' block. Uh, yeah." Dakota dropped an amused chuckle.

"My brother's in love with music. Well, he used to be. I only ever see him sing to Leila at night now."

"Those two fit together like a puzzle," Ally said, a memory of the little girl curled perfectly into his arms.

Dakota sighed, dropping her eyelids over her pretty gray irises. "You have no idea." Opening her eyes once more, she tilted her head as she began studying the brunette before her. "What's your last name, again?"

"Dawson. Why?"

The taller girl shook her head, as if to clear a thought. "No reason. You just look like someone."

At that moment, another presence filled the room. He was tall, dark haired, and rather handsome. No doubt Leila's father and Dakota's husband- Jason. He entered the room, stopping beside his wife. "You must be Ally," he started, "I'm Jason."

Ally turned her face up to see his, watching as he visibly stiffened. "Hi."

He nodded tightly to her, making eye contact with the blonde. "She looks just like-"

"I know. She does too- sort of."

"But does he?"

Dakota bit her lip; Ally watched the couple in puzzlement.

"I don't know. And I'm not sure if it would be good to or not."

 _Choo!_

The couple turned their attention to the girl, watching her rub her reddening nose with the base of her wrist. "Sorry," she breathed, glancing shyly up at them through her watery-red eyes.

" 'Sokay," Dakota assured her. "You can't help it."

"How are you feeling, Ally?" Jason questioned her, beginning one of his many over-practiced interrogations.

"Um, okay- I guess." She answered hesitantly.

"Okay- are you tired?"

"A bit." Lie. She was extremely tired. If she had known the man questioning her was a doctor, maybe she would've answered a bit more truthfully.

"Are you hungry at all?"

"Actually, no" She was a little more trustworthy here.

"When was the last time you ate?"

The brunette's eyebrows scrunched together in concentration. "Yesterday... around three? I had an orange around then."

Jason and his wife exchanged worried glances. "Is there anything you need? Any daily medications or..."

"Sleep." It had slipped her mouth before she could stop it, but that was probably his plan.

"And how do you feel now?"

"Tired. I can't feel much else- almost numb. Everything is a little blurred around the edges." She squinted her eyes as if to focus, but once they began to drift, Jason's eyes widened.

"No- no she can't sleep. Dakota- keep her awake. I'll call an ambulance," he called, hastily entering the kitchen for the phone.

"Wait, why?" Austin stood at the doorway to the kitchen from the foyer, Leila hugging his hand and Diesel waiting behind them. "What's wrong with Ally?"

"Austin, don't go in there-" but the blonde was already through the next doorway. "Au- hello? Yes there's a girl..."

Austin flew through the doorway, coming up short at the sight. His sister was speaking to Ally, patting her cheeks and telling her to stay awake.

"What's going on?"

Dakota glanced up at her poor little brother, concern drawn over her features. "Austin, keep her awake- I'm getting Leila and Diesel to another room." With that, she let go of the smaller girl, dragging Austin to take her place and sweeping up the puppy and toddler before racing out of the room.

Austin turned to the miserable wreck laying before him, big brown eyes half-shut. "Ally, what's going on?" He tried.

"Aus..." Her hand went over his, and he obtained their fingers reassuringly.

"Ally, come on. You're scaring me."

"Austin." Jason stood in the doorway, holding the landline in his limp hand.

"What's happening to her?"

"Her body- it's shutting down. I called an ambulance. They're on their way."

"No," Austin shook his head. "No, that'll take too long. I'm driving her." He began to slide his arms under her,

"Austin, you can't. You can't drive and keep her awake. You'll either crash or lose her on the way. We just have to wait for the ambulance."

The blonde's dark hazel eyes suddenly grew darker, his expression grim as he gripped Ally's hand, forcing a whimper from her. "The last time I waited, I lost my girlfriend and my daughter," he growled. "I'm not losing her because of another one of my mistakes."

"And if you drive, she's bound to die, one way or another! Let the paramedics arrive. She's not going into labor, Austin. She's falling asleep. Keep her awake!"

 _Bang!_

The front door slammed open, echoed by hasty steps.

"I called her father, since he lives across the park," Jason explained. "Keep her conscious while I get him. And don't do anything stupid," he said sternly, then swooping through the door.

Austin turned back to Ally, her eyes closed more than before. "No, no Ally, stay with me." He squeezed her hand, but feeling no reaction, put his head to her chest. Her heartbeat was slow and shallow. "Ally, come on. Just a few more minutes." He leaned down to hear her heartbeat again.

There was none.

* * *

When Lester Dawson entered the living room, he did not expect the scene he saw so soon.

The blonde boy he had recognized as Dakota's brother from when he helped her move in was on the floor, practically on top of his daughter, with one hand plugging her nose while his mouth was on hers. He quickly pulled away, overlapping his hands on her chest and pumping.

A look of concentration crossed his face as he leaned down to blow air into her mouth once again.

Two fathers stood frozen to the side of the room, while the one who had lost his child and girlfriend crouched over a stranger, trying to pump life back into her. He tried for several more minutes, never giving up.

Until the sirens came. Falling through, Austin moved off the lifeless body, staring at her tiny, fragile figure. _Fun-sized_ , she called herself. The boy offered a sad smile at the thought, as a tear rolled down his cheek.

One hand draped over her stomach, the other gripped in his hand; it was a scene he'd known all too well. He'd told himself that he was over it, that he wasn't dwelling on that one image, but now, he knew that it was a load of crap. Two arms wrapped around him as more tears came, just rocking him back and forth, not bothering to silence him.

The paramedics appeared and swiftly swept her up onto the stretcher, Jason the first to spring into action and follow them back out to the ambulance.

The three left sat in silence for a moment. Lester watched the siblings rock back and forth on the floor, the younger sniffling softly while the older murmured calming words.

Finally, Dakota spoke up. "We should go outside."

"Where's Leila and Diesel?" The broken boy asked, his red-rimmed eyes following his sister as she rose.

"They're sleeping," she assured him.

He nodded, slowly getting to his shaky legs. Dakota, being the most stable, was the first out the door. Austin soon followed, stopped by the hand dropping on his shoulder.

"Austin."

He spun around, only to find a disoriented Lester Dawson. "I want you riding that ambulance no matter what. I can drive."

"Why do you want me there?" He asked, his brow scrunching together.

"Because- I believe if you can save her once, you can save her again."

The blonde's expression softened some, nodding slightly.

The two headed outside, readying for the dreaded scene they both felt coming.

•

"Sixty- clear!" Her body jolted. No response.

"Seventy- clear!". . .

"Eighty- clear!". . .

"Ninety- clear!". . .

"One hundred- clear!". . .

"One hun- wait! I think we have a heartbeat."

"Yes, It's faint- let's get moving."

Austin felt his heart skip a beat. She's alive.

"Austin, go," Jason called to him, already climbing into his car with Lester.

Austin quickly obeyed, climbing into the back of the ambulance after Ally's stretcher was lifted into it. He sat in the back with one of the two paramedics, simply staring at the young girl as he took her small, cold hand and squeezed it- for once being able to believe that the girl he was hanging onto just might have another chance to live.

* * *

 **A/M: holy crap I just wrote A/M on accident... I'm not changing it. Literally they're both A.M. now I'm sorry I don't know why this is suddenly hitting me so hard I've been ok since Monday.**

 **OKAY GUYS I KNOW I SHOULD UPDATE MY OTHER TWO STORIES BUT I'm kinda grounded at the moment and they're on my device... which was taken away... I'm actually supposed to be doing school work that I need to catch up on so... see ya!**

 **p.s. again if you want to see the pics/edits my vine is _/SA_ (I've revined some of storyandsongwriter's edits- she goes by _austinandallyduh_ ) and my tumblr is _shors-airplane._**

 **The second part of this should be out soon- within this week. I have it all written, I just need to edit :)**

 **Stay Strong!**

 **Keep kool!**

 **Bie!**

 **-k8ie㈏3❤️ (blue and red heart if ya can't see it... idk it's symbolic just go with it)**


	2. I will always stay by your side forever

**Okay so I know part one was kinda confusing, but trust me it'll make sense in here. Tbh, it was supposed to be a one-shot but I decided to cut it in half for some reason O.o... anyway, here ya go!**

 **Disclaimer: and I never like to, admit that I am broke. So please don't remind me I really don't wanna be sued and now I know, I'm better weeping on my own...**

* * *

 **Pull Me Back To** **Reality**

Part II

It was hard; watching her sleep. Austin had sat by her bedside until she regained consciousness after the procedures, her small, cold hand squeezing his as her eyes fluttered open.

She hadn't remembered a single thing that had happened before the incident- she could only recall waking up in the pouring rain with the faces of Austin and a puppy above her. No one really knew how she got hurt, but the doctors guessed that she must've been hit by a falling piece of the foliage. Turns out, she'd had some internal bleeding that had only gotten worse in the night while they couldn't drive her to the hospital during the storm.

Austin had taken it hard to the gut when the doctors explained it to him after she had woken up with her hand in his and could barely remember who he was. They instructed him to be patient and understanding with the new conditions she would have to live with for the next few months, and to be gentle with the process of regaining her memory.

He was.

He always waited for her, never rushed, and wheeled her everywhere she went. He knew it wasn't easy to have to learn to walk again.

He slept at her bedside every night, as Lester had trusted hifm, Jason, and Dakota to care for her while he couldn't, holding up Sonic Boom on his own. Austin drove her everywhere she wanted to go- hardly anywhere.

Austin glanced over at the girl sleeping in the passenger's seat of his car. It was still difficult to watch her sleep. But she was very much alive, her breathing soft and warm and her chest rising and falling rhythmically.

Her wheelchair and a pair of crutches laid in the backseat, though Ally hated both of them. She always tried walking on her own, yet she somehow ended up being carried by Austin every time. She didn't dislike being held by him, but she preferred to be independent on something so simple.

He tried to make it enjoyable for her- about twice he'd brought her to the IMAX theatre about two hours away, just because they were bored.

Now, summer had begun when the storm occured, and it was half over when Austin began to see something- not that he was complaining. He'd noticed that she'd been wearing dresses lately, and he could guess why.

Ally had attempted to wear shorts before, but because wearing them included an awkward situation with her body pressed against Austin's as he pulled her shorts up, it never happened again. From then on, he discovered her large supply of dresses- sundresses, skater dresses, high-low dresses, any dress that could possibly be tucked somewhere deep in her wardrobe.

He did admit though-not out loud at first- the dresses did suit her well. Leila seemed to think so too, in her constant need to cling to Ally. She cheered whenever Ally played with her, pouted whenever she and Austin asked for adult time. The two young adults would always remember the time Ally had worn a yellow skater dress, and Leila had put a tiara on her head and announced her as "Princess Ally". She then proceeded to make Austin "Prince Aussin, because Princess Ally was wearing yellow, and his favorite color was yellow."

That dress did eventually become his favorite. It began when she wore it once to physical therapy. She had almost given out several times just walking down the short length of bars, but after much agonizing strain, she made it for the first time. She wore it again a few weeks later, playing with Leila. The two were on the couch, the small blonde balanced in her lap. By then she was slowly transitioning from a wheelchair to a walker, both of which she hated.

Though she never liked assistance walking, Ally proved herself to be much of an optimist. She smiled constantly- save for during PT- and laughed at almost anything.

Austin came to know much about her in those three months of summer. He learned about her intense love for pickles, that she had a passion for music, had only one boyfriend before who'd never given her the time of day for even a kiss, had a best friend named Trish, and was an only child.

He could remember the day they learned that they had gone to the same high school three years before, when he was a senior and she was a junior. Austin had been more of the popular type, though he never abused it by basking in the glory. He was always the modest one, who wore his basketball jersey with pride, not a smirk. He went to the parties, only ever drank a little, but somehow lifted the spirits of people anywhere he went. What he was most known for, though, was the girl he was attached at the hip with. She wasn't anything huge like a cheerleader or star athlete, just a normal student who watched her boyfriend's games and could listen to his music 24/7, yet they were the golden couple.

He never understood why, though. Were they cute? We're they perfect? He didn't know. In school, they were the ones holding hands, playfully bumping each other and glancing at one another every other second.

It was the day after graduation, at some kid's grad party on the beach that it happened. The drinks were water and beer- and the couple woke alone in that guy's beach house the next morning. They thought nothing much of it after a while- until she threw up one morning. And the next. And the next.

Eight months later, she had quite a bit of a baby bump, and something wasn't the same about her. Her skin was paling, her eyes fading. She was slowly slipping away. They both stayed local and went to college, but she never came back after Winter Break. He tried to escape afterwards, but he found himself drawn back to Miami every time.

Maybe this was why.

No, neither Austin nor Ally were firm believers in fate or destiny or any of that toddler princess stuff, but they believed in magnets. Anchors, magnets, leashes, whatever holds them down. To sanity, to home, to each other, it didn't matter. They were tied together. Even from high school, though they may not have noticed at the time.

Although, Austin was quick to find out why they had possibly been pulled together when he found her book. A tattered leather brown thing, he found it under her pillow when she was in the shower one day. He'd been proud that she could finally stand upright by her self, so long as she didn't sit down or try to walk. Needless to say, those first few weeks of bathing had been more than a tad awkward.

She had been in the shower, and he was right next door in her room, stretched out on the bed when his hand slipped under the pillow, his fingers brushing against the spine of the worn leather. Confused, he pulled it out from its hiding spot. The large "A" printed on the front invited him to flip through the pages, to find countless rows of lyrics and entries.

He read mostly through the lyrics, only stopping momentarily to read the entries. They dated back to high school, and he smiled upon reading the contents, from her excitement over writing a song for the play, to her frustration for a so-called "Gavin"'s reluctance to make a move and kiss her. The pieces of diary started to shorten from her prom to graduation, soon only a simple sentence expressing her excitement to be going to college. And then, they vanished all together. All that was written were endless songs with occasional doodles among them, from eccentric to a ballad, and he realized: the songs had taken over telling her story. Perhaps she came to notice that if the book was lost, it'd be harder to read her thoughts through songs. But he could see them clearly. Austin could read them and know just what was happening, from when Gavin broke her heart, to when she finally felt free of the binds holding her down from her eradicated relationship.

But then she was calling him again, and he slipped the book back under the pillow before turning out of the room and into the bathroom. She was standing in the tub of the shower, the curtains drawn back, and a golden rod towel wrapped tightly from her chest to her knees. Her dark chocolate locks were wet and sticking to her neck and back, although she had squeezed most of the moisture from it already.

He made his way over to the tub, one arm automatically curling around her waist. "Ready?" He asked, ready to scoop up her legs with a playful smirk, remembering the first time he had done so. She had flushed red, but he found her reaction quite amusing as he whisked her to her room like a superhero, calling out in a dramatically deep voice while she hid her face in her hands.

Ally bit her lip. "Well, I was thinking, maybe... I could walk?"

Austin was genuinely surprised. "You sure? It'll be hard."

She nodded.

"Okay."

He helped her lift her legs out of the tub, making sure she was stable enough on her feet as he tightened his grip on her waist. She would've laughed or giggled at the way he wiggled his fingers around her side, had she not been so concentrated on moving the first foot forward. And then the second. And the first again. And wow, that was already exerting so much energy. Water from her hair dripped onto the hallway carpets, and her feeble hands held a death grip on his muscular shoulders and arms.

By the time they had reached her room, she moved at an excruciating pace to get to the bed. Austin set her down, her face hot and red as she fell against the blankets.

"You okay?" He asked, sitting beside her as his hands massaged her legs, the way she liked it after a PT session.

Ally nodded weakly, offering a matching smile. Her eyes fell to her lap, and he stopped his hands.

Scooting up beside her, he put a warm hand on her cool arm. "Hey," he offered softly, his eyes sympathetic as she looked up at him, her own chocolate orbs helpless and innocent. "It can only get easier, Ally. You're a strong girl, I know you can do it. Think of it this way. Life is like a heart-rate monitor at the hospital. If it didn't have its ups and downs, we'd be dead." His voice was barely audible, his eyes beginning to mist.

Ally almost missed it. Almost. But she couldn't figure out a way to ask. So instead, she responded, "I know. I just can't help feeling that I'm a burden on you. There's so many more important things you could be doing now, but you're here, helping a useless girl."

Austin sighed. "Ally," he leaned his forehead on hers. "Look at me." She shifted her gaze up to his. "You're not a burden, okay? You're an amazing girl, and we love having you here. Dakota and Jason love you, Leila loves you, I love you, it's awesome just having you here. I mean, my sister is ecstatic to have another girl to talk to, Leila finally has someone to dress up as a princess that's not me,"

-she giggled there,-

"and I have someone to hang out with, beside my crazy best friend. Sure, he's hilarious

* * *

and stupid at times, but sometimes, we all just need someone at least a little sane."

A smile crept up on Ally's lips. "Thanks, Austin."

He smiled back as she looked down shyly again, and he placed a quick, soft kiss on her temple. "Besides," he continued with a growing smirk, "you're fun to carry, and I get to watch you get dressed."

Ally's head immediately snapped up, and she shoved him as hard as possible, her face burning with red fire. "I never said you could watch!" She exclaimed, pressing her head into her hands. "Oh gosh, you've been watching? Oh, no, I'm staying with a perv."

She didn't receive an answer, thanks to Austin's boisterous laughing. He merrily curled his arms around her, waiting for his laughter to subside before picking her up and walking her to the closet. "What can I say?" He asked, setting her down on her feet. "Someone's gotta make sure you don't fall." She wobbled, and he stabilized her. "Unless you're falling for me, of course."

She shoved him away again. "No thanks."

He smiled, and with a cheeky grin, took a seat back on the bed. She turned her back to him, and he laid down, staring up at the simple black and white ceiling fan. They were silent for a minute or two while she slipped on her under clothes before removing the towel.

"Y'know, sometimes I don't get why life has to be so complicated..." Austin started, his eyes now concentrated on the fan.

Ally stopped fiddling with zipper of her dress, looking up at him. Where was the sudden seriousness coming from?

"I mean, it just goes 'round and 'round in a cycle, but what does it do? If we just live to die in the end, what purpose does it have?"

Glancing down at the dress, Ally sighed. She slipped it over her head, letting it fall limply over her body. "Austin..."

The blonde snapped up, closing up the zipper. He slung an arm under hers, helping her as she stumbled toward the bed. She laid down on it, patting the spot beside her. He complied, and she reached for the fan's remote, turning it on.

She pointed to it, as the spokes began to spin. "See the fan? That's like our life cycle. It goes 'round and 'round, just like you said, but it never stops unless a) something strong enough gets in the way, or b) we stop it ourselves, because either it's getting too cold, or we used it, and it's served its purpose and is ready to turn off. Then there's a light." She pressed another button, and the light on the hub turned on dimmly.

"In the center of this life is a light. Maybe dimmly at first, but it's there." She turned it on fully. "The light doesn't necessarily affect the cycle, but it can reflect on what happens in it." She motioned to the small, circular mirrors at the inner end of the spokes, which, in turn, reflected the light around the already sun-lit room. "And maybe, even after the cycle stops, it will keep shining. No one knows, but if life is anything like a fan, it will keep shining." She pressed a button and the fan began to slow. "Like that. If we'd began to fade, or we stopped all together," she pretended to stop the fan with her hand, "it won't stop shining. So tell me this, if the cycle didn't continue, would anything cool come from it?"

Austin looked away from the fan, and down at her. Her chocolate locks spread out beneath her, her brown eyes shining, her small body lax and peaceful as she lay there, her soft pink lips moving in a sort of rhythm as she spoke. She had radiated a luster in the air about her. And how brightly she shined at the moment.

"Nothing would."

Ally moved her gaze to him. "Austin?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there something you're not telling me?"

Austin studied her face for a moment. His eyes were misting again, and she subconsciously reached out to brush the golden strands away from his eyelashes.

"No. I'm just, trying to figure out the light."

•

Ally heard him sing for the first time the next day. Not to her, he was singing to Leila. The three of them had decided to watch Pixar movies until Jason and Dakota came home, when they would all go out to eat at the mall.

Ally, who had fallen asleep with Leila in her lap, had been deserted when Austin pulled the little girl onto his side of the couch. She woke to the toddler asking him a question.

"How come you don' sing anymo'e Aussin?"

He looked down at her and sighed, bringing her closer to him. "I just don't feel like it anymore, baby girl. Why?"

"Because I like it when you use' to sing." She tilted her little head back, her braided blonde hair (courtesy of Ally) falling over her back, her gray eyes big. "Can you sing for me?"

Austin glanced over at Ally, her eyes still shut, and her breathing still seeming even. "One song," he promised her. "Choose wisely."

"The one about smiling. With the funny first line!"

Austin laughed. That had been his personal favorite. "Okay, Smile it is.

 _"I dream on, dream about you_

 _What can I do to make you feel all right?_

 _Baby, I don't want to see you cry, no_

 _I want to see you smile_

 _I want to see you smile_

 _Let me take your picture, baby_

 _I'll save it for a rainy day_

 _I don't need much_

 _I guess I'm just old fashioned in that way_

 _so on the count of three, lets see you_

 _Smile_

 _I wanna make you smile oh oh_

 _I wanna see you smile_

 _I wanna see you smile_

 _It's the things you do_

 _I wanna make you smile"_

* * *

Pretending to roll over in her sleep, Ally turned her body and cracked her eyes open. To say that she hadn't been surprised at his soft, sweet voice would be a lie. She had always expected something rougher, deeper from him, and yet his voice serenaded the little girl into a sweet lullaby. She watched as the girl nuzzled her head into his chest, mumbling a tired, "you didn't sing the funny line" before relaxing in his lap.

Austin smiled down at his niece, planting a soft kiss on the top of her head, and lifting her sleeping form up. He cradled her toward the other end of the couch, laying her beside Ally, who in turn, felt the small presence and secured the little girl in her arms. Once she was sure Austin had left the room, her eyes flew open, and she gazed down at the sleeping blonde curled into her grasp. She couldn't help it, what about Leila had Austin so wrapped up? She was like his weakness, but what had made him that way?

•

"I'm worried about him," Ally told the older blonde as they continued to the next store. Leila was on her lap, playing with Ally's dark side braid as Dakota wheeled them through the Miami Mall.

"He's been saying the same about you," Dakota laughed, steering around the large group of teenagers headed their way.

"Kota, I'm serious," Ally said. "It's like there's something he won't tell me, and I know it's killing him.

"The other day, he was being all funny and- Austin, and then he was suddenly asking me what the meaning of life was. I'm just... worried about him."

Dakota sighed, bringing the wheelchair over to the fountain, where she took a seat. "We're all worried about him, Ally. We've been worried, and we don't know how to help him. He used to be so outgoing and lively, y'know? There was a time when Austin was so popular, and he had everything; the popularity, the money, the girl, and it all went down the drain. He's been recovering for the past three years, and... it just takes time. He's had his moments, but, this is all we can do. This is him now."

"Why? What happened?" Ally leaned forward as Leila undid the braid.

The toddler's mother crossed her legs, her gaze flickering toward her daughter. "It's not in my position to tell you. I'm really sorry, Ally. But this is something that I really think Austin should tell you himself. It's gotten worse with him over the past few months, and I think it'll only get worse if you knew when he isn't ready. I'm really sorry."

"You don't think it's because of me, do you?"

Dakota's eyes widened. "No! No, I- I wouldn't think so. Not mostly, at least. I think it's just because he has a bad experience with hospitals and... other things, but..." She trailed off. Who could blame her? How could she possibly tell Ally that her brother had bad experience with children and a girl that looked exactly like her, when she sat right there, holding his niece? "I think he just needs someone to hold onto." Hold onto. Because he had lost what he'd been gripping for years, and his fingers were invited to a new handle.

Ally nodded, watching as Leila's little fingers brushed out the braid on her shoulder.

"Don't Let him slip away again, Ally."

The brunette looked up at the blonde, who's eyes had gone lost and desperate. Desperate to keep her baby brother unscathed.

"Please."

•

"She's really something, isn't she?"

Austin's eyes shot up to Jason. "Dude, you're married to my sister."

The taller blue-eyed man laughed. "I know. I meant for you."

This sparked the blonde's interest. Where was this coming from? "Oh. I guess."

"She's a strong girl, Ain't she?"

"Yeah."

"And very pretty too."

"I don't know if I like where this is going."

"Just saying, she's a very nice girl."

Austin shoved his hands in his jean pockets. "What are you, my dad?"

"Austin." The look Jason sent him showed he wasn't kidding.

"Listen, Jase, I appreciate you looking after me, but I don't think I'm ready for that yet."

"Alright. But it's been almost three years. I just think that, maybe it's time to move on. I get that it hurts, but you can't dwell on what happened forever. You're twenty already. This is the oldest you've ever been, and the youngest you're ever going to get."

Austin sighed, leaning on a nearby shelf and running a hand through his golden brown locks. "I know. But the reflectors aren't curved."

Jason scrunched his eyebrows, and Austin knew just how much that had thrown him off. "What?"

The blonde shook his head. "Nothing." He stood up straight. "I just have to tell Ally something."

•

And he did. Later that night, when the wind was brisk and the stars were out, and the air was still sticky and humid. The palm trees outside the mall danced above them as Austin wheeled Ally over to a bench, where they could listen to the soft rustle of the branches and smell the thick, salty ocean air.

Having arrived in separate cars, the couple and their daughter left in Jason's car, leaving Dakota's car for the other two. So when Austin helped Ally out of the chair and onto the bench beside him, he felt no rush when her head rested on his shoulder and her eyes closed peacefully. He wrapped an arm around her, simply watching her bask in the warm summer night air, her face tilted to the sky, a smile woven into her silky features.

Her smile grew as two cool, soft lips pressed onto hers, if only briefly. Her lips pressed back tenderly, one of her hands moving to his shoulder before they both pulled away, her swirling irises meeting his dark whiskey ones in a delightful confusion.

She tilted her head up to his. "What was that for?"

He sucked in a cool breath. "I needed to know you felt what I do, before I told you anything."

Her nose brushed his. "Like what?"

"Like that the reflecting mirrors on my fan aren't curved. They're slanted."

"How so?"

"Ally, I know black and white, I know the difference. But I have a gray spot that I'll never understand. And all the reflectors on the inner side of the spokes direct the light straight to it. You're helping me curve it."

Austin brushed her wavy hair between his fingers, his eyes searching her dazed ones.

Ally pulled his hand away from her hair, holding it in hers. "So tell me your imperfection."

Stroking his thumbs over her small knuckles, he stayed silent, pondering what he should say.

"My senior year at Marino High just ended, and I had a girlfriend. She was amazing. I thought I loved her, until I brought her to someone's grad party. We were drunk, and I accidentally got her pregnant that night. I found out only a month into her pregnancy that what I perceived as love back then wasn't nearly as strong as how I came to love our unborn daughter. Of course, I got mad at myself, blamed myself for being so stupid, but I never regretted it. I mean, that was my own daughter. I could never regret her."

He paused to let Ally take this in for a moment before continuing. "My parents kicked me out the second we told them. Told me to vanquish any idea of them helping me. No baby support, no college tuition. I was lucky I had a good athletic scholarship. Her parents were a little more supportive. It was like they trusted me more thank my own parents did. They helped us out a little, helped with doctors visits and things like that.

"But then, eight and a half months into her pregnancy, something happened to her body. She wasn't functioning properly, and we were afraid we'd lose the baby half a month before she would be born. They were both getting weaker, and we knew one of them wasn't going to make it. And suddenly, my girlfriend was gone, and was having an emergency c-section." His voice had long since begun to waver, and his eyes were shielded by a thick layer of tears.

"I lost my girlfriend that day, and couldn't even keep my promise to take care of our daughter, because I lost her too. I tried to run away after that, so many times, but it didn't work. I always came back to Dakota's doorstep. Leila had already been born, and she began to fill in the baby's space, but I've still had a big hole for the past three years. So when I had deja vu of freshman year when I sat down beside the pretty, short girl in the bus, who looked almost exactly like you, I couldn't help myself."

His hand was on her side now, his thumb stroking little patterns on her waist, almost as if he expected there to be a bump where her stomach lay flat.

"I'm sorry I didn't tell you before."

Ally wrapped both arms around his torso. "No, Austin. I don't blame your for waiting. You've told me now, so would it really make a difference if you told me earlier?"

"I was hoping that it wouldn't."

"It hasn't," she assured him. "You're still the sweet, adorable boy I met on that bus. The only thing that's changed is how deeply I know you."

He looked her in the eyes. "So you're okay with it?"

"There's nothing I can really blame you for," she told him. "I hadn't met you at the time, and there's nothing that can change what happened."

Austin nodded and looked away, an odd feeling of guilt pulsating in his chest.

"Hey," Ally drew his attention back to her. "It's okay to still love her. I wouldn't blame you for that either."

He smiled weakly. "I think this moving on thing's been getting easier."

She smiled back as his lips met hers again.

* * *

"Ally?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

"My uncle says that some people get mo'e than one soul mate. He says that sometimes, people get two chances. Is that t'ue?"

Ally laughed as she lifted the small girl onto her lap. "Of course it is. Sometimes it just takes a while for someone to know it."

"Little Lei, I think it's nap time."

"Aw, but, Aussin, do I have to?"

The boy in the doorway nodded. "Yup. C'mon, I'll sing for you."

Leila smiled as she hopped off Ally's lap and ran to her uncle. He lifted her up and brought her up to her room, returning a few minutes later.

He grinned as he dropped onto the couch beside his girlfriend. "Hey."

"Hello."

"So I was thinking, it's nice out. We could go for a run."

"We could," she mused. "Or we could stay in and take a nap or something."

"No, Ally," he whined. "I want to do something before I have to give you back to your dad later."

"You're just going to miss carrying me from the shower." She gave him a look.

"That too, but there's other reasons."

"Of course there are."

"I mean, now who am I gonna wake up in the middle of the night to cuddle?"

"Jason's usually up pretty late," Ally offered.

Austin made a face. "Yeah, now I'm really not giving you back."

She laughed and placed a hand on his stomach. "I'm sure you'll figure something out."

"I still have that little one-bedroom apartment I've been renting out."

Ally say up and looked at him. "You do? Why have you been staying here all summer?"

He smiled weakly. "Leila, thanks to you."

"Me?"

"I thought I was close to my niece. Super close. But it never felt right, because of my baby, you know? I'd always thought I was over it, but then you showed up and I realized that it was preventing me from being that good of an uncle. I mean, yeah, I had a nickname for her and I'd occasionally help her through thunderstorms because I felt bad, but then you came and I started singing to her and volunteering to play with her."

Ally placed her hands on his knees. "So are you going back to the apartment?"

"Probably. Plus, it's closer to the mall."

She smiled playfully. "Trying to visit me at work?"

He shook his head. "Nah, more like lifting my chances for a cuddlebuddy on stormy late-shift nights."

Ally rolled her eyes and he grinned.

"So, wanna go for that run?"

Austin's grin widened as she stood with ease and gracelessly made her way to the stairs. She'd always been a clumsy person anyway.

She blushed. "Stop smiling at me like that."

"I can't be happy?" he asked, standing and making his way to her.

"Not when you're making fun of me, no." She placed her hands on the planes of his chest.

"I would never, Shorty."

"Austin..."

"Sorry, I meant _fun-sized_."

"Much better."

He grinned. "Well, your size does make it fun..."

"I hate you."

"I love you too."

She smiled and stood on tip-toe to reach his lips. "I know."

 _Hey, I will always stay_  
 _By your side forever_  
 _'Cause we're better together_  
 _Hey, there's no other way_  
 _We'll make it through whatever_  
 _'Cause we're better together_

* * *

 **I dunno, guys. I'm not so sure if I really like how this turned out. It's kinda super cheesy in some places... Or like over dramatic. Yeah... That... Nah I like it, there's just parts that I don't like... Yeah.**

 **ah well, knowing me, I'll go back and edit it some day.**

 **What do you think? Reviews are cool, eh?**

 **Stay Strong!**

 **Keep Kool!**

 **Bie!**

 **-K8ie❤️㈏3**


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